Medical Terminology - A Living Language - Ch 6 - Section I - Vocabulary

blood

� a mixture of formed elements floating in watery plasma
� produced in the red bone marrow by a process called hematopoiesis
� about five liters in an adult

formed elements

group of three different types of cells: erythrocytes (red blood cells), leukocytes (white blood cells), and platelets

red blood cells

erythrocytes

erythrocytes

� red blood cells
� biconcave disks that are enucleated
� hemoglobin cause it to appear red
� about five million cells per cubic millimeter, about 35 trillion in an adult
� have a life span of 120 days and then removed by the spleen when worn-out or damag

leukocytes

� white blood cells
� there are five different types, each with it own strategy for protecting the body against the invasion of pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and other foreign material
� generally have a spherical shape with a large nucleus
� about

white blood cells

leukocytes

hematopoiesis

blood cell production in the red bone marrow

plasma

� colorless watery fluid of blood and lymph containing no cells and in which erythrocytes and leukocytes and platelets are suspended
� composes 55% of whole blood and is 90 to 92% water
� remaining 8 to 10% portion of plasma are dissolved substances, espe

plasma proteins

dissolved substances in plasma; especially albumin, globulins, and fibrinogens

albumin

plasma protein that helps transport fatty substances that cannot dissolve in the watery plasma

gamma globulin

plasma protein that acts as antibodies

fibrinogen

� plasma protein that induces blood-clotting
� fiber producing

urea

waste product formed in the liver, filtered out of the blood by the kidneys, and excreted in urine

creatinine

waste product of muscle metabolism, filtered out of the blood by the kidneys and excreted in urine

serum

� clear, sticky fluid that remains after the blood has clotted
� plasma with fibrinogen removed or inactivated

enucleated

not containing a nucleus

hemoglobin

� part of the red blood cell that picks up oxygen from the lungs and delivers it to the tissues of the body
� blood protein that gives red blood cells its color

bilirubin

red blood cell waste product disposed of by the liver

five types of leukocytes

� five types are subdivided into two categories: granulocytes (with granules in the cytoplasm) and agranulocytes (without granules in the cytoplasm)
� Granulocytes: basophils, eosinophils, neutrophils
� Agranulocytes: monocytes, lymphocytes

basophils

a granulocyte white blood cells that release histamine and heparin to damaged tissues

eosinophils

a granulocyte white blood cells that destroy parasites and increase during allergic reactions

neutrophils

a granulocyte white blood cells that are important for phagocytosis; the most numerous of the leukocytes

monocytes

� monos
� an agranulocyte white blood cell that is important for phagocytosis

lymphocytes

an agranulocyte white blood cell that plays several different roles providing protection through the immune response

phagocyte

a cell that has the ability to ingest and digest bacteria and other foreign particles

phagocytosis

critical process for the control of bacteria within the body; phagocytes ingest and digest bacteria and other foreign particles

platelet

� modern term for thrombocyte
� refers to the smallest of all the formed blood elements
� play a critical part in the blood-clotting process
� are not whole cells, bur rather are formed when the cytoplasm of a large precursor cell shatters into small plat

thrombocyte

� platelet
� clotting cell

hemostatis

the blood-clotting process

agglutinate

to clump together into small clusters

thromboplastin

substance released by platelets, which in the presence of calcium, react with prothrombin to form thrombin

prothrombin

a clotting protein in the blood which reacts with thromboplastin to form thrombin

thrombin

an enzyme that works to convert fibrinogen to fibrin, which eventually becomes the mesh-like blood clot

fibrin

a white insoluble fibrous protein formed by the action of thrombin on fibrinogen when blood clots

blood typing

test to determine the presence of antigens or markers on the surface of erythrocytes

ABO System

� a blood marker subgroup; there are two possible red blood cell markers, A (type A) and B (type B), type O is the absence of either marker

type A blood

the presence of an A marker and produces anti-B antibodies that will attack type B blood

type B blood

the presence of a B marker and produces anti-A antibodies that will attack type A blood

type AB blood

both A and B markers are present and does not contain any antibodies, therefore will not attack any other blood type

type O blood

� lacks A or B markers and contains both anti-A and anti-B antibodies which will attack all other blood types, A, B, and AB
� because it does not have either marker A or B, it will not react with anti-A or anti-B antibodies, for this reason it is referred

universal donor

person with type O blood, because it does not have either marker A or B, it will not react with anti-A or anti-B antibodies and can be given to a person with any other blood type

universal recipient

person with type AB blood, because it has no antibodies against the other blood types and can receive any blood type

Rh factor

a marker on red blood cells that determines whether a person is Rh positive or Rh negative

Rh positive

� Rh+
� a person with the Rh factor on their red blood cells and they will not produce anti-Rh antibodies
� an Rh+ person may receive both an Rh+ and an Rh- transfusion

Rh negative

� Rh-
� a person without the Rh factor on their red blood cells and will produce anti-Rh antibodies
� an Rh- person can only receive Rh- blood transfusion

blood clot

the hard collection of fibrin, blood cells, and tissue debris that is the end result of hemostasis or the blood-clotting process

coagulate

to convert from a liquid to a gel or solid, as in blood coagulation

dyscrasia

a general term indicating the presence of a disease affecting blood

hematoma

� bruise
� the collection of blood under the skin as the result of blood escaping into the tissue from damaged blood vessels

bruise

hematoma

packed cells

a transfusion of only the formed elements and without plasma

whole blood

refers to the mixture of both plasma and formed elements

hemophilia

� hereditary blood disease in which blood-clotting time is prolonged due to a lack of one vital clotting factor
� it is transmitted by a sex-linked trait from females to males, appearing almost exclusively in males

hyperlipidemia

� condition of having too high a level of lipids such as cholesterol in the bloodstream
� risk factor for developing atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease

septicemia

� blood poisoning
� having bacteria or their toxins in the bloodstream

blood poisoning

septicemia

sepsis

putrefaction, the presence of pus-forming bacteria or their toxins in the blood or tissues

anemia

� a large group of condition characterized by a reduction in the number of red blood cells or the amount of hemoglobin in the blood
� results in less oxygen reaching the tissues

aplastic amemia

� severe form of anemia that develops as a consequence of loss of functioning red bone marrow
� results in a decreased in the number of all the formed elements

hemolytic anemia

an anemia that develops as the result of the excessive loss of erythrocytes

hemolytic reaction

� transfusion reaction
� the destruction of a patient's erythrocytes that occurs when receiving a transfusion of an incompatible blood type

transfusion reaction

hemolytic reaction

hypochromic anemia

anemia resulting from having insufficient hemoglobin in the erythrocytes

iron-deficiency anemia

anemia that results from having insufficient iron to manufacture hemoglobin

pernicious anemia

� PA
� anemia associated with insufficient absorption of vitamin B-12 by the digestive system; vitamin B-12 is necessary for erythrocyte production

polycythemia vera

� production of too many red blood cells by the bone marrow
� blood becomes too thick to easily flow through the blood vessels

sickle cell anemia

� a genetic disorder in which erythrocyte take on an abnormal curved or "sickle" shape
� these cells are fragile and are easily damaged, leading to hemolytic anemia

thalassemia

a genetic disorder in which the body is unable to make functioning hemoglobin, resulting in anemia

leukemia

cancer of the white blood cell-forming red bone marrow resulting in a large number abnormal and immature white blood cells circulating in the blood

blood culture and sensitivity

� C&S
� sample of blood is incubated in the laboratory to check for bacterial growth

complete blood count

� CBC
� combination of blood tests including: red blood cell count (RBC), white blood cell count (WBC), hemoglobin (Hgb), hematocrit (Hct), white blood cell differential, and platelet count

erythrocyte sedimentation rate

� blood test to dertmine the rate at which mature red blood cells settle out of the blood after the addition of a anticoagulant
� indicator of the presence of inflammatory disease

hematocrit

blood test to measure the volume of the red blood cells within the total volume of blood

platelet count

blood test to determine the number of platelets in a given volume of blood

prothrombin time

a measure of the blood's coagulation abilities by measuring how long it takes for a clot to form after prothrombin has been activated

red blood cell count

� RBC
� blood test to determine the number of erythrocytes in a volume of blood

red blood cell morphology

examination of a specimen of blood for abnormalities in the shape (morphology) of the erythrocytes; used to determine diseases like sickle cell anemia

sequential multiple analyzer computer

� SMAC
� machine for doing multiple blood chemistry tests automatically

white blood cell count

� WBC
� blood test to measure the number of leukocytes in a volume of blood

white blood cell differential

� diff
� blood test to determine the number of each variety of leukocytes

bone marrow aspiration

sample of bone marrow is remove by aspiration with a needle and examined for diseases such as leukemia or aplastic anemia

phlebotomy

� venipuncture
� incision into a vein in order to remove blood for diagnostic test

venipunture

phlebotomy

autologous transfusion

procedure for collecting and storing a patient's own blood several weeks prior to the actual need, e.g. during surgical procedure

type and crossmatch

� test to double check the blood type of both the donor's and recipient's blood
� process mixes together small samples of both bloods and observes the mixture for adverse reactions

bone marrow transplant

� BMT
� patient receives red bone marrow from a donor after the patient's own bone marrow has been destroyed by radiation or chemotheropy

homologous transfusion

replacement of blood by transfusion of blood received from another person

plasmapheresis

� method of removing plasma from the body without depleting the formed elements
� whole blood is removed and the cells and plasma are separated; the cells are returned to the patient along with a donor plasma transufsion

anticoagulant

� blood thinners
� substance that prevents blood clot formation

antihemorrhagic

� hemostatic agent
� substance that prevents or stops hemorrhaging

blood thinners

anticoagulant

hemostatic agent

antihemorrhagic

antiplatelet agents

� substance that interferes with the action of platelets
� prolongs bleeding time and used to prevent heart attacks and strokes

hematinic

substance that increase the number erythrocytes or the amount of hemoglobin in the blood

thrombolytic

term meaning able to dissolve existing blood clots

fibrinolysis

destruction of fibers

fibrinous

pertaining to fibers

hemolysis

� hemolytic
� blood destruction

hemolytic

� hemolysis
� blood destruction

hemorrhage

rapid flow of blood

hematic

� sanguinous
� pertaining to blood

sanguinous

� hematic
� pertaining to blood

granulocyte

granular cell

agranulocyte

nongranular cell

erythrocytosis

too many red cells

leukocytosis

too many white cells

thrombocytosis

too many clotting cells

erythropenia

too few red cells

leukopenia

too few white cells

thrombopenia

too few clotting cells

pancytopenia

too few of all cells

eythropoiesis

red cell producing

leukopoiesis

white cell producing

thrombopoiesis

clotting cell producing